Honors College

About the Honors College

The Honors College is a special program tailored to students who have a record of academic excellence. Students who apply and are admitted into the Honors College enjoy the challenges and rewards of working with distinguished members of the faculty in small, student-centered classes designed to stimulate discussion and personal growth. In addition to providing an enriched learning environment for completing the General Education Program, the Honors College enables each student to reach his or her full academic potential within their chosen major.

Honors students may pursue any academic major of their choice, while availing themselves of flexible course options and a variety of educational opportunities such as internships, study abroad programs and service learning activities. During the final year of undergraduate study, the Honors Senior Thesis capstone prepares each student for success in graduate school or a profession of his or her choice.

Honors courses are integrated into each student’s program of study. Honors freshmen and sophomores fulfill their General Education requirements by enrolling in special Honors sections of General Education courses. Transfer students complete the upper-division Honors requirements within two years by combining conventional College courses with Honors seminars. All Honors students complete an Honors Thesis Project in the senior year under the direction of a professor in their chosen academic major. Although students may apply to the Honors College for admission at any time during their first two years of college, students are strongly advised to begin the program as early as possible.

Honors College Admissions and Graduation Requirements

Students must apply and be accepted into the Honors College. Entering freshmen should have a high school grade-point-average of approximately 94.0 or higher and an SAT total of 1250 or higher (or the equivalent ACT score). Transfer students and current Brockport students should have a college GPA of at least 3.5. All students enrolled in the Honors College are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher in order to remain in good standing and graduate in the Honors College.

Unique Advantages of The Honors College

Flexibility and personal choice in the selection of courses. Honors students enjoy early registration privileges, and they select their courses from the complete range of college courses. The Honors College tries to maintain a productive balance between the intimacy and challenge of small Honors courses and the diversity and flexibility of the College’s total course offerings. Moreover, Honors courses change every semester, as new courses are continually introduced. Students even have the opportunity to design their own Honors courses through an “Honors Contract.”

Small courses. Honors courses are designed to promote an informal atmosphere and personalized learning. Active student participation and small classes are at the heart of the Honors College. These can either be a special section of a conventional course offered by a department or an entirely new course, designed especially for Honors students. All Honors courses have an enrollment limit of 20 students.

Distinguished College faculty. Distinguished and dedicated teaching faculty make Honors courses especially rewarding. Honors faculty members are specially selected for the program, and many have received prestigious awards for their teaching, scholarship or artistic productions.

Student-centered learning. Lectures are uncommon in Honors courses, allowing students to participate actively in their learning. Additionally, informal discussions with faculty about research and creative work are an invaluable part of Honors study. The Honors Thesis, in which the student works under the direct supervision of a faculty member in their major, is the culmination of these close faculty-student relationships.

A close-knit group of Honors students within the larger college community. The Honors College encourages personal relationships among students with similar interests and priorities, sponsors special social and cultural events, and even connects local students to Honors students at other colleges across the country through participation in national and regional conferences.

Honors College recognition on your permanent transcript. Such recognition is widely seen as an indication of both a student’s superior academic achievement and his or her willingness to undertake the most challenging program of study.